OT: DVD format discussion

Rednroll wrote on 1/4/2004, 11:47 AM

Ok,
I've recently purchased a DVD recorder a Pioneer DVR-A06U. Probably like most users I'm a little confused on the DVD+R and DVD-R formats and their compatibility with DVD players. I've done quite a bit of reading on the web to try and clear up some of my confusion, but have walked away even more confused. For my first test I wanted to create a DVDrom with .MP3 files on it, to play back in my home entertainment system, where I have a Toshiba SD-K510 DVD player. This player is a little over a year old, so it's not ancient yet, or maybe it is in technology time. I burned the DVDrom onto a DVD-R disc using Nero 6.0 and my DVD player couldn't read it. I burned the same project using Nero onto a DVD+R disc and it still couldn't read it. In some discussions I've read that the DVD+R is more compatible. In other discussions I've read the DVD-R is is more compatible. Well unfortunately with my limited experience I've had no luck with either. I know my player supports, CDr's, DVD's, Cdroms, VCD's, .MP3, and .Jpeg formats. I was hoping it would therefore be able to read a DVDrom also with .MP3's on it. So now I'm wondering if I need a firmware update for my DVD player, or a new DVD player or is there something I'm doing wrong in burning the DVD which makes it incompatilble. I've read where a single format burner is better for compatibility and you can use software to change the +/-R book type. I would like to know if anyone has a reliable link for information on the different formats or some insight to the following formats.

1. DVD video: What type of disc do I use DVD-R or DVD+R? What software to create the disc? What DVD players have worked for you and haven't worked for you? What DVD burner are you using?

2. DVD-rom: Same questions as #1

3. DVD-audio. Againg same questions as #1.

4. Does anyone have a link for Toshiba DVD players, where I might be able to do a firmware update to make it compatible?

5. Does anyone have a recommended player that can reliably read DVD-roms and which format have you had success with?

Comments

farss wrote on 1/4/2004, 1:01 PM

I'm burning with the Sony 500 burner. I've had one instance of a player being happy with DVD-R but not DVD+R so I'm sticking with DVD-R.
All my DVD-Video created in DVDA.
Cannot help you much with playet issues as model here will be totally different to those inthe US. Just for a laugh try using a DVD+RW and see if the Toshiba will play that. Does the unit claim to be able to play DVD+/- anything?

If you're looking to buy a new one, take a DVD you've burnt along to the store. What it syas on the box and whatthey'll really do is oftenly quite different and big brand name seems to have little to do with it.

RichMacDonald wrote on 1/4/2004, 1:20 PM

I have an A06 myself. You neglected to mention another big part: Brand of DVD. There is no universal best brand. Some work on some players but not others, and vice-versa.

In general, the -R format is supposed to be more universal than the +R. The latest numbers I've seen are 95% and 90% respectively.

Some players do fine with RW but not R. The same brand.

So try RW instead of R. It won't solve your problem, but it will make the problem clearer if it works :-) And try some different brands. Stay away from the cheap no-name stuff, but get a cross-section from your local store. One brand might actually do the trick.

Personally, I've had good luck with Memorex, worse luck with Fujifilm, and no luck with CompUsa (not surprising, there). But I've had *no* universal luck on the 10 different players I have access to. Although this if for DVD movies, not mp3.

Further ideas: Nero is not foolproof either, and neither is your use of it:-) Start slow: First, can you write a simple CD with mp3s and play it? If so, note the type of Nero project and try and repeat that type with a DVD. Are you using a nested folder structure or are all your mp3 in the root directory. I don't know if this makes a difference.

Try and burn a regular DVD movie with your particular brand and play it. This would eliminate the brand as a factor.

Above all, report back.

Rednroll wrote on 1/4/2004, 6:45 PM

Thanks for the info so far. For my .MP3 DVD they are rooted directories. The thing is, I've created CDrom's with the same rooted directories and they play fine on my players. So the only differences are one has the files burned onto 3 different CDroms and are of the CDrom format and play with no problems, and the other is on a DVDrom and I keep getting disc errors when it tries to read it. So I'm highly expecting a problem with the player reading the DVDrom format itself.

I never thought the brands would be another factor in readability. For My DVD-R discs I used the Verbatim discs that came bundled with the burner. For my DVD+R discs I purchased a few Memorex DVD+R's. I do have one Verbatim DVD-RW that came with the player, I assumed it would be like CDR's and thought the RW format would be less likely to be compatible. I'll give the DVD-RW disc a shot and see what happens.